Page 2 of Thief of Dreams
But that's neither here nor there.
"What's the job? Which ruling prince?" I ask. There are over two dozen fae courts, each lovelier and more dangerous than the one before it, but fae males rule only a handful. "Court of Shadows? Court of Blood? Court of Storms?"
Fingers crossing behind my back, I hope and pray it's not the Court of Storms.
Prince Angmar still resents me for the loss of his trident. Each court's power is focused through a relic of some description that is tied to the ruling prince or queen, and there are whispers his manhood wanes without it. I'm told my head is worth its weight in gold to him, and I much prefer it where it is.
Those black eyes lock on me again. "I want you to steal the Dragon's Heart from Prince Keir's Court of Dreams."
And now the floor drops out from under me. "Are youinsane?"
Breaking into the Court of Dreams is a death trap.
There's only one way in and out—a heavily guarded portal—and nobody knows where the portal leads. Nobody knows where the Court of Dreams even resides. Some whisper of an Other World, created by the dreams of dragons long ago, but nobody actually knows. It's not located on any of the continents I know of. It may not even exist.
Just a tale woven of myth and shadow.
"Some say there is no Court of Dreams," I protest. "That it was lost to memory, and that—"
"It exists," Raesh snarls, his claws digging into the arms of the throne. "Though Keir tore it from the mortal world long ago, and its only been seen rarely ever since. There is rumor the portal is waking."
"I'd be working blind," I blurt. "There's no schematics, no information about the Dragon's Heart or where he hides it…. Nobody's even crossed the portal into the Court of Dreams in—"
"Three thousand years," Soraya mutters.
I shake my head. "It can't be done. My magic works perfectly to help me slip about unseen in fae palaces, but I can't cross the portal without Keir—or one of his guards—knowing. I can't even activate the portal without his say-so. You're asking for the impossible. The Court of Dreams is dangerous."
And then, of course, there's the Prince of Dreams himself.
He alone stood apart during the Dragon Wars all those years ago. He faced the combined might of the fae courts when he wouldn't agree to their terms, and when they threatened him with annihilation, he simply tore his court from the mortal plane and vanished it.
"No, you cannot cross the portal without Keir knowing. Unless, of course, the portal is open and you have an invitation," Raesh purrs. He looks entirely too pleased with himself.
"I must have misplaced it," I drawl, heart still pounding.
"Not you, specifically. Keir's sent out a Summons."
A Summons.
A bride hunt.
Every fae princess in the land will be waiting with bated breath for that invitation. Keir's may be a name whispered in hushed tones in case he overhears, but he's incredibly powerful. A living legend. Rich. Dominant. The ultimate catch for any female with breath in her lungs.
Good luck to the poor soul who lands him.
But it might be a way in.
I hold up my arms, releasing my grip on the glamour that keeps my true nature under wraps. A faint, unearthly luminescence begins to glow beneath my skin. Without glancing at my reflection in the polished obsidian floors, I know my eyes have become completely black, the thin tracery of blackened capillaries lacing through my cheeks, and my hair gleams like silver under moonlight. "Somehow I doubt the Prince of Dreams thought to include one of the Forbidden on his potential bride list. Wouldn't want to taint his precious blood."
"No." Raesh tosses me a scroll. "But here's a list of those females thathavebeen granted such an invitation."
There are nearly two dozen names on the list.
And suddenly I know what he's suggesting.
All I need is an invitation and a name not my own.
None of the princesses of the Blessed Courts, for they're too well known. But there are the names of more obscure titles here. Lady of the Golden Dawn. Duchess of Goldenrod. Lady of Greenslieves.
